Ball-bearing caster.



J. H. EICHHOLZ.

I BALL BEARING QASTER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 12; 1911.

Patented Jan. 9, 191.2

mwntoz 36,072 liEeb/z/wdz JOSEPH H. EICHEOLZ, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

BALL-BEARING- CASTER.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOSEPH H. EICHHOLZ,citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, in the State ofMissouri, have invented new and useful Improvements in Ball-BearingCasters, of which the following is a specification.

The" present invention relates to certain novel and usefulimprovementsin furniture casters, and has particular application to a ball nearingcaster adapted to be applied to household furniture, trunks or otherarticles or furnishings. v

In carrying out my invention, it is my purpose to provide a ball-bearingcaster embodying' in its construction the desired features ofsimplicity, durability and strength.

It is further my purpose to provide a caster of this type which may bereadily and quickly applied to the article of furniture, and furthermorewhen such article is provided with casters embodying my invention, itmay be shifted in any direction desired, without undue labor, inasmuchas the caster ball, engagin the antifriction bearings, ofiers but litt eresistance to the floor, and is exceedingly responsive to the slightestforce applied to the article of furniture.

I also aim to provide an improved ball caster wherein the. antit'rictionbearings and the caster ball may be rapidly and easily assembled, andwhen so assembled are held securely in position.

With the above recited objects and others of the similar nature in viewmy invention consists in the construction. combination, and arrangementof parts set forth in and falling within scope of the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings; Figure 1 is a view in elevation of a ballbearing caster embodying my invention, a portion of the. wall of thesemi-circular cup being broken away to show the ball bearings. Fig. 2 isa vertical sectional view of in improved caster. Fig. 3 is a detail secional view,

showing a portion of the plate, cup and th retainer rings to which thecup is threaded Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail,the letter A designates a cup or socket of approximately semi-circularform which is adapted to receive a suitable number of small balls orother santifriction hearings 2, said socket being thread- Specificationot Letters latent. Application filed May 12, 1911. Serial No. 626,684.

Patented J an. 9,1912.

ed at its edge, as at 3 to screw upon the externalldy threaded ring 4,the latter being carrie by the flat plate 5. This plate is provided withthe usual apertures 6 for the passage of the screws, or other fasteningmeans 7 by which the casters are secured to the article of furniture,such as the bottom or'leg of a table, chair or the like. This plate isprovided on its underside with the inwardly tapered flange 8 adapted toact as a retaining means for the caster ball 9. It will be noted that Ihave provided an exceedingly simple and efficient form of caster, whichmay be applied to any atticle of furniture, or to any article where theuse of a caster is desirable, and -it will further be seen that when inuse my caster will not tier carpets or other floor coverings, or mar t eroll .noiselessly and without friction over the surface of the floor.

In assembling the caster the cup or soclket is filled with the smallball-bearings, of any selected size, and the large caster ball is theninserted. The cap is th'eli'i threaded on to floor, and further thatsuch casters will the ring 3 carried by the plate 5 and the caster isthen ready for use.

What I claim is"? 1. A ball bearing caster, comprising a plate, a casterball retaining ring on the un der side of said plate, a-threaded ringcarried by the upper side of said plate, a ball cup threaded onto saidring and antifriction bearings interposed between the castor ball andthe ball cup.

2. A ball bearing caster comprising a flat plate having a caster ballopening therein, a retaining flange for the caster ball on the underside of said plate, a caster ball projecting through said opening andbearing against the retaining flange, a cup or socket for the receptionof antifriction ball-bearings, a ring at the upper side of said plate towhich the cup is connected, and ball be'arings within the cup andagainstwhich the caster ball is adapted to bear.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

Z. Gms'r, H. C. FRETHEY.

